Feeling Sick
by Klutzygirl33
Summary: Neal has a migraine, so Elizabeth and Peter take care of him.


**Disclaimer**: I don't own White Collar and never will. No copyright infringement intended.

**Author's Note**: I had a migraine yesterday, and then came up with this fic. Hope you enjoy!  


* * *

When Neal woke up with a headache, it wasn't that bad. He decided to go without medication. He could get through today.

"You okay?" Peter questioned later, after he and Neal finished talking to a suspect.

"Why do you ask?" Neal was starting to feel worse, but he was still okay. He hoped that Peter didn't notice that he was feeling badly.

"You look kind of pale, Neal." Peter was worried about his partner. He didn't look good at all.

"It's just a headache. I'll be fine." Neal just wanted to crawl into bed and go to sleep. That sounded really good right now.

Peter eyed him. He wasn't so sure that Neal was fine. "Don't forget that Elizabeth and I are having you over for dinner tonight." She was making one of Neal's favorite meals.

"I won't forget. Besides, you're my ride," Neal pointed out.

Two hours later, Peter and Neal arrived at the Burkes' house after finishing up with work. Neal was feeling even worse.

"You look sick," Elizabeth observed. She put her hand on Neal's forehead to check for a fever, but found nothing.

"Headache. Possibly migraine." Neal hadn't had a migraine in years. They popped up occasionally, which drove him crazy.

"You okay to eat?" The worried Elizabeth didn't want him to eat if he wasn't feeling well.

He nodded, but regretted the action the instant he did so. "I can eat. It may not even be a migraine. It could just be a really headache."

Peter and Elizabeth exchanged worried glances. "Neal, why don't you lie down until after dinner is ready?" suggested Peter.

"Okay." He lay down on the couch for about fifteen minutes. When Elizabeth called him to the table, Neal got up and instantly regretted it.

"Neal, maybe you should something for the pain." Elizabeth didn't like seeing him (or Peter) so sick.

"Elizabeth, I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me." Neal felt like crap, but he wasn't about to admit any weaknesses. The pain had extended down to his nose somehow, and he really couldn't take the pain anymore.

Elizabeth and Peter weren't convinced that he was fine. They both watched over him throughout dinner. After everyone finished eating, Elizabeth started washing the dishes.

Peter and Neal went into the living room, where Peter turned on the TV. He kept a close eye on Neal, who now looked worse.

An hour or so later, Neal was finally ready to admit he had a migraine. Nausea had kicked in after dinner, and it wasn't going anywhere. Looking at things just exacerbated the situation.

"I'll call June and tell her that Neal is staying tonight," Elizabeth decided. The ex-con wasn't in any shape to leave.

"He's definitely not going anywhere," Peter agreed, checking in on his partner. He hoped Neal would be okay.

Just as Neal and Elizabeth finished their conversation, Neal bolted up from the couch and ran towards the bathroom. Elizabeth rushed after him. Peter followed the two of them, but stayed on the other side of the door.

After Neal threw up a few times, Elizabeth and Peter helped him to the guest bedroom. "Sorry I threw up your real good dinner," Neal murmured.

"Don't worry about it. Neal, you're sick. I'll send you home some leftovers." Elizabeth felt horribly for him. She had watched her mother deal with migraines growing up.

"Kay." Neal still had the migraine, but it had faded a little. He didn't feel any better, though. The pounding migraine made him wish that he was somewhere else.

"Get some sleep, Neal. You have tomorrow off," Peter told him. His overprotective tendencies towards his partner had kicked in again. Peter wasn't about to let Neal work when he was sick. He needed to get better.

"I can work tomorrow." Neal didn't want to be a burden on the Burkes. Today had not gone well at all. The plan to hide his migraine hadn't worked.

"No, you won't work. You're staying right here until you're hundred percent better," Elizabeth ordered. She didn't want him overdoing it.

Neal gave Peter a look. "Sorry, Kid. I agree with her." Peter resisted the urge to laugh at his pouting partner.

Elizabeth hunted through the medicine cabinet to find something for Neal to take, but eventually gave up. She didn't see anything that would help. "You should probably sleep this off," she advised.

"I will." Neal's head was pounding too much for him to disagree.

"I'm leaving a bucket here in case you feel sick again and can't make it to the bathroom." She hoped he didn't throw up again.

"Feel better, Kid." Peter had already decided he didn't like his partner sick. A sick Neal made him feel bad.

Neal got up only one in the middle of the night to throw up. He tried to make sure that he didn't wake up Peter and Elizabeth, but they heard him anyway. They once again helped him back to bed. By the next morning, he was feeling better. "What's for breakfast?" he asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth checked him over. "Are you feeling good enough to eat?" She was still worried about him.

Neal nodded. "I feel a whole lot better today. Migraine is completely gone." He was thrilled that it was gone. Yesterday had been one of the worst days of his life, health-wise at least.

"We're glad," Peter answered. He hoped this didn't happen to Neal again, but knew it probably would. At least he and Elizabeth would know what to do next time.

"Thanks for taking care of me," a suddenly shy Neal told them. He was so grateful to Peter and Elizabeth for helping him through the migraine.

"You don't have to thank us, but you're welcome." Elizabeth didn't mind taking care of Neal. He was one of her best friends.

"Next time, tell us when you're feeling sick. Don't hide it from anyone." Peter didn't like Neal keeping his health a secret.

"I will," Neal promised. He couldn't believe Peter and Elizabeth cared this much about him. He never thought they would.

What Neal didn't know was that Peter and Elizabeth would help him through anything. They cared about him.


End file.
